


Apostate

by VirtusFortitudoEtSapientia



Series: The Definition of a Heretic [3]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Armin becomes a motivational speaker, Armin the Heretic, How Do I Tag, M/M, Multi, Post-War, Three men raising a baby, after the titans, by the ocean, past bullying, you'll never live it down armin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 12:52:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9182566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VirtusFortitudoEtSapientia/pseuds/VirtusFortitudoEtSapientia
Summary: ‘apostate; [uh-pos-teyt, -tit]noun1. a person who forsakes his religion, cause, party, etc.'It was funny, how words said in the heat of a moment could have done that. Over the course of the last fifteen years, Armin had had a number of people admit that that phrase had made an impact.Years after a run-in mostly forgotten, the true impact of half-thought-out words is revealed.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Part 3 of 3. You must read 'Heretic' and 'Heathen' before this one or it won't make sense. 
> 
> Over the last couple of days I've been watching the hit counters on the previous stories climb faster than I thought they would. I just hope the new relationship tag doesn't put you guys off! 
> 
> Enjoy!

            “What are you willing to give for your children to know freedom?”

Armin groaned into his pillow and reached blindly behind him in an attempt to land a half-hearted hit on his partner, only to have his hand caught in a tight grasp. Fingers interlocked with his own, and there was a light brush of lightly-chapped lips against his knuckles before the grasp disappeared and the calloused digits dragged across his bare back instead, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

            “Why is that _still_ coming back to haunt me? It’s been, like, ten years. Go back to sleep.”

But the light was starting to filter through the curtains and he knew there was no hope. “For God’s sake, Levi.”

Levi just sniggered and rolled until he was lying on top of him, weighing him down pleasantly.

            “Mm. Where’s Eren?”

They both looked over at the empty space of the bed and Armin huffed.

            “Either Isabel woke up or Mikasa’s visiting again.”

            “Why does she always turn up at shitty o’clock?”

They fell quiet, and Armin was slowly – thank the Heavens – drifting back off to sleep under the comfortable pressure of his smaller partner, when Levi spoke again.

            “That stayed with Erwin until the day he died, you know. I think it justified everything he ever did. For him, at least.”

The blonde stilled as he always did when Levi mentioned their former Commander.

            “It was the last thing he said to me. I think…it changed his life.”

It was funny, how words said in the heat of a moment could have done that. Over the course of the last ten years, Armin had had a number of people admit that that phrase had made an impact. Even after the original context had been forgotten - the phrase used so often in relation to the Scouts that many didn’t even know Armin had coined it - he had heard it used to motivate their soldiers.

But they weren’t soldiers anymore. The war was over, the Walls were gone and a new God had taken their place.

Armin didn’t believe in this one any more than the last three.

What he did believe in was the sound of the ocean, audible from their bedroom; he believed in the two men he’d pledged his heart to and the little girl they were raising with that love. He believed in the freedom they had, and the life they now lived.

Heretic, indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s).
> 
> Thus concludes the Definition of Heresy. I really hope you enjoyed reading my first foray into SNK and if you've anything to say, ask or critique (constructive, please), drop me a comment!


End file.
